New Cage for Pedro

[PedroANDAshley]

So it's about time to get Pedro a new cage.

I'm stuck between wanting to build one my self or just ordering a screen cage from LLL Reptile.

Which way would it be cheapest?

I have never built a cage before but I have read some threads on here on how to build them but I never see a price mentioned.

Also, I'm really set on having the plants planted in soil in the cage.
I know soil can cause impaction but I've seen many thread from senior members planting their trees in their vivs that they build.

So would it be okay for me to plant my trees?

And if I got the screen cage from LLL. Is building a sort of wooden box that will fit tight at the bottom of the cage so that I can plant my trees in it sound like a good idea?

Any ideas/opinions are appreciated c:

 

[draetish]

I've built all my own cages and they cost more than buying one. However, you have the ability to do whatever you want. You would have to think about drainage for the plant containers as plants won't do well. You can view my enclosures under each of my chams albums and feel free to send me a pm if you have any questions about them.

 

[jastate09]

Probably cheaper to just buy one. I've made them before in the past and the cost for all the materials and tools was pretty expensive plus all the time it took. I never use soil in any of my cages. What kind of a chameleon do you have?

 

[PedroANDAshley]

I've built all my own cages and they cost more than buying one. However, you have the ability to do whatever you want. You would have to think about drainage for the plant containers as plants won't do well. You can view my enclosures under each of my chams albums and feel free to send me a pm if you have any questions about them.

Thanks alot c:
In the buils that i've looked at they use a material called hydroton, I believe its called.
And I'm assuming its for the absorbtion of the water.
Have you had any experience with this? Does it work good?

Probably cheaper to just buy one. I've made them before in the past and the cost for all the materials and tools was pretty expensive plus all the time it took. I never use soil in any of my cages. What kind of a chameleon do you have?

I have a veiled.
I would have thought making one would be cheaper
Thanks for the info

 

[Stephikins]

My idea for drainage under soil is to use clay pellets or hydroton pellets, which is what I think u were talking about. They simply letS the water collect in the space underneath the soil so I was then going to drain from the bottom of my soil kind of like how a cooler drains. I'll have a small opening in the bottom of my container so I can just open that every once in a while & and pour the excess water out. I haven't set it up yet but that's the plan.

 

[aspirin54]

I actually just got a screen cage for LLL about two weeks ago. I ordered an 18" x 18" x 36" cage for my veiled along with a substrate tray for the bottom and a ficus. It all came to just over $100 shipped, which was about what the pet stores here were asking just for a cage that size. The cage was very easy to put together and Pocket has left no area unexplored.

 

[PedroANDAshley]

What do you think about possibly making a wooden box that would fit snug in the bottom
so I can plant my plants in it?
Has any one done that before?
Or is there another way?

 

[Infinite ink]

my veiled likes to eat dirt whenever he sees it .. so i wouldn't be able to do dirt on the bottom. Too much trouble too, if your chameleon eats leaves off the plant.
i switch plants every now and then to keep em fresh in the cage, if they were planted it would be impossible.
but it can be done, look at the pygmy setups, they are in tanks and have that bottom layer of clay pellets. I dont think ive seen any setups with a live terranium/vivarium setup though..

 

[PedroANDAshley]

Heres one:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/my-latest-build-progress-40191/index5.html

I really like this guys setup with the real plants potted in there.
The main reason Im so set on potted plants is because it seems easier than having to have a drainage system and I dont have to worry to much about water over flowing because of the soil and hydroton pellets.

 

[Manik6]

I actually want to do the same with my cages. Just ordered two cages from lll but I havent figured out how im going to execute the plan yet.

 

[PedroANDAshley]

Well what I was thinking was just take the cages from LLL and build a wooden box
with a good/reasonable height and make sure it fits pretty snug in the cage, outline it with the plastic material, fill it with hydroton pellets, put the mesh on top, then finish it off with the soil.

Well any who, when you figure out your plan let me know how it works out cuz I'm not gonna get/build this cage for another week or so.

 

[aspirin54]

I actually planted my ficus in an 8" plastic pot and sat that in the cage. I put reptile bark over the soil and around the base of the pot. Haven't had any drainage problems so far.